RUMOR: Next Xbox To Feature Original Programming

The next Xbox may feature an entire channel of original shows, adding yet another piece of speculation to the pile of NextBox rumors.

A source working closely with Microsoft tells GamerNode that the next Xbox will include a TV-style channel running a full slate of original programming, akin to Netflix’s House of Cards, that gamers can presumably access with an Xbox Live subscription. The nature of the programming is unknown, but the source says that linking shows on the Xbox channel to gameplay experiences is a possibility.

Partnerships with ESPN, UFC, and the major sports leagues have set the foundation for TV-style programming on the Xbox, but it sounds like the NextBox may take it one step further. If Microsoft is trying to make Xbox more universal in its entertainment, then aping the original programming idea from Netflix is a smart move. However, this sort of focus is what’s making gamers nervous to begin with, focusing more on broad entertainment than the video games that put Microsoft in this position in the first place.

Like the previous NextBox rumors, this is unconfirmed by Microsoft itself, but it’s one more thing we can speculate about before the curtain is finally pulled. Will you be tuning in if Microsoft creates its own channel?

Jason lives and breathes gaming. Legend tells that he taught himself to read using Wheel of Fortune Family Edition on the NES. He's been covering this industry for three years, all with the Node, and you can see his ugly mug once a week on Hot Off The Grill.